Architects association meets to review policy on tall buildings

THE CYPRUS Architects Association (CAA) organised a conference exploring the challenges of the proposal for tall buildings in town centres, a feature that is expected to transform Cypriot towns.

Titled ‘Tall buildings in the Cypriot town: a new challenge’, the conference sought to initiate discussion on the matter at a time when local area plans are being reviewed and public consultations all over Cyprus will be taking place.

“A specialised study must be undertaken, which must take all parameters into consideration so that any final decision can be implemented and based on the objective of the revival of urban centres and the improvement of quality of life.

“Therefore, the policy should take local characteristics into consideration, be functional, ecological, but also focus on the human factor,” said architect Anna Galazi-Iacovou who co-ordinated the conference.

The conference, which took place over the weekend at Nicosia’s Holiday Inn, attracted considerable attention by local and national stakeholders as well as field experts. It was addressed by Constantinos Constanti, the CAA’s President, Nicosia Mayor Eleni Mavrou, ETEK President Christos Efthyvoulou and Nicosia’s District Administrator Andreas Assiotis.

Internationally acclaimed architects explored issues such as the need for public transportation as a precondition to raising construction coefficients, experiences from other European towns, environmental impacts, the need for high-quality architecture, energy efficiency and safety considerations, as well as the general advantages and disadvantages of the proposed policy.

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